Published: Wednesday, December 12, 2012 at 6:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, December 12, 2012 at 12:28 a.m.

Ocala golfer Brendon Ehlers scored an eagle on the 34th hole of a 36-hole tourney Tuesday to seal the deal and collect his second career Florida Professional Golf Tour victory.
Ehlers, who entered Tuesday's final round one stroke off the lead, fired a 5-under 67 to win the event at Orlando's Eastwood Golf Club by one stroke over Marc France of Rockledge.
Ehlers finished 9-under and won $1,700, raising his FPGT earnings to $3,166 through six weeks of the 17-stop mini-tour.
Ehlers, 27, is an Ocala transplant from Wyoming who trains locally with Daren Robinson, a golf instructor at Golden Ocala. Ehlers won his first FPGT event last January in Leesburg. He then hit the road onto the Hooters Tour for the first time last season but made just three cuts and $3,625 in seven starts.
Now in the midst of a strong offseason, Ehlers believes he'll find things a little easier when he rejoins that tour this year.
“The golfers on the Hooters Tour are no joke,” said Ehlers, who also is planning to attempt a handful of 2013 Web.com (formerly Nationwide) Tour Monday qualifiers . “You have to put your time in and kind of grow up. I grew up on the Hooters Tour last year and realized I've got to work really hard, and that work I've been putting in is starting to pay off.”
Ehlers said his strong recent run on the FPGT has been fueled by a hot putter — he's yet to three-putt through eight total rounds — as well as effective scrambling.
“I'm hitting the ball really good, but if I do get in trouble and miss greens, I'm getting up and down,” he said. “That's the difference, before I wasn't getting up and down as much.”
Ehlers said he has also benefited from his local ties. He plays as often as possible with Ocala-based pro golfers John Balmer and Jonathan Bartlett as well as Ocala's lone PGA Tour golfer, Ted Potter Jr.
“That's huge,” Ehlers said. “I learn a lot from him every time we play. I can compare my game to his and see where I need to improve.”
HOLE IN ONE: Richard Porter aced the 114-yard 11th hole at Ocala Golf Club using a D-wedge with Harold Watson, Jim Tuck and Lewis Tanner witnessing. ... Andy Jeffers aced the 11th hole at Ocala National using a pitching wedge with Jim Harrison and F.J. Kutch witnessing. ... Jessee Rodriques aced the 90-yard eighth hole using a 5-wood with Derik Svihula witnessing. ... Steve Cox aced the 114-yard sixth hole at Ocala Palms using a 5-hybrid with John Lucarini, Tom Trace and Jim Stapp witnessing.
-----Submit local golf information to Andy Marks at andy.marks@starbanner.com.

Ocala golfer Brendon Ehlers scored an eagle on the 34th hole of a 36-hole tourney Tuesday to seal the deal and collect his second career Florida Professional Golf Tour victory.
Ehlers, who entered Tuesday's final round one stroke off the lead, fired a 5-under 67 to win the event at Orlando's Eastwood Golf Club by one stroke over Marc France of Rockledge.
Ehlers finished 9-under and won $1,700, raising his FPGT earnings to $3,166 through six weeks of the 17-stop mini-tour.
Ehlers, 27, is an Ocala transplant from Wyoming who trains locally with Daren Robinson, a golf instructor at Golden Ocala. Ehlers won his first FPGT event last January in Leesburg. He then hit the road onto the Hooters Tour for the first time last season but made just three cuts and $3,625 in seven starts.
Now in the midst of a strong offseason, Ehlers believes he'll find things a little easier when he rejoins that tour this year.
“The golfers on the Hooters Tour are no joke,” said Ehlers, who also is planning to attempt a handful of 2013 Web.com (formerly Nationwide) Tour Monday qualifiers . “You have to put your time in and kind of grow up. I grew up on the Hooters Tour last year and realized I've got to work really hard, and that work I've been putting in is starting to pay off.”
Ehlers said his strong recent run on the FPGT has been fueled by a hot putter — he's yet to three-putt through eight total rounds — as well as effective scrambling.
“I'm hitting the ball really good, but if I do get in trouble and miss greens, I'm getting up and down,” he said. “That's the difference, before I wasn't getting up and down as much.”
Ehlers said he has also benefited from his local ties. He plays as often as possible with Ocala-based pro golfers John Balmer and Jonathan Bartlett as well as Ocala's lone PGA Tour golfer, Ted Potter Jr.
“That's huge,” Ehlers said. “I learn a lot from him every time we play. I can compare my game to his and see where I need to improve.”
<b>HOLE IN ONE: </b>Richard Porter aced the 114-yard 11th hole at Ocala Golf Club using a D-wedge with Harold Watson, Jim Tuck and Lewis Tanner witnessing. ... Andy Jeffers aced the 11th hole at Ocala National using a pitching wedge with Jim Harrison and F.J. Kutch witnessing. ... Jessee Rodriques aced the 90-yard eighth hole using a 5-wood with Derik Svihula witnessing. ... Steve Cox aced the 114-yard sixth hole at Ocala Palms using a 5-hybrid with John Lucarini, Tom Trace and Jim Stapp witnessing.
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<i>Submit local golf information to Andy Marks at andy.marks@starbanner.com.</i>